Dragon Con Survival Guide

Since Dragon Con takes place during summer in the South, the weather tends to be hot and humid, and sometimes the area gets drenched by the remnants of a hurricane or tropical storm. Crowded conditions and long lines make it seem even hotter and stickier. As in all large crowds, germs can spread quickly. Here are some ideas for staying cool and healthy during the convention and for getting from place to place.

Consider taking MARTA, Atlanta's public transportation system. If you live in Atlanta, or if you're staying at a hotel that's not within walking distance of the convention, taking MARTA may be less expensive and more convenient than trying to park downtown. The Peachtree Center MARTA station adjoins the convention hotels. If you do decide to drive and park, arrive early, since hotel lots fill quickly. If you park elsewhere, make sure to follow all posted instructions about payments and when you will need to move your car or pay for another day.

Make a survival kit. This can be small enough to fit into a bag or backpack and include basic necessities that you may need during the day, such as:

Wear comfortable shoes. Even if you plan to stick to events in only one of the convention's three hotels, you'll still be spending a lot of time on your feet.

Bring a sweater if you tend to get cold. It will probably be hot outside, but all of the convention hotels are air-conditioned. You may find that you get chilled while sitting in cool meeting rooms or after coming in from outside.

Prepare to queue. Many of the biggest events at Dragon Con are also in the most demand. If you hope to see a panel featuring actors from TV shows like "Warehouse 13" or personalities like Felicia Day or Stan Lee, you may be in for a long wait. Sometimes, dark horse events wind up drawing unexpectedly long lines, like the 2005 Buffy Prom, the 2006 Serenity Shindig and the 2007 Colonial Fleet ball. These lines can sometimes stretch outside of the building. In addition, a typical convention security practice involves clearing a room completely before the next event begins. In other words, unlike at Comic-Con, you can't guarantee a good seat for a panel by sitting through the prior one. There's no Dragon Con equivalent of camping out in Hall H all day.

Keep moving when you get off of an escalator. This may sound trite, but stopping leads to traffic jams. Traffic jams lead to annoyed security guards and frustrated fans.

Prepare to wait for an elevator, particularly in the Hyatt. Although some convention-goers follow the "go up to go down" rule, it's often easier just to take the stairs. Also, leave the elevator to make room for disabled attendees.

Be cautious after dark, particularly if you're bringing children to the convention. There are lots of nighttime parties at the hotel, and there's often a lot of alcohol served at the parties and in the hotel bars. In addition, the costumes on display after dark have a tendency to become increasingly revealing.

Wearing a costume to Dragon Con can have its own pitfalls. We'll look at costumer-specific Dragon Con tips next.

Costumes are a big deal at Dragon Con. Some costumers have worked for a year or more on what they plan to wear. Organizations like the 501st Legion even have precise standards for members' costumes. Good costumes can get a lot of attention at the convention, but they can also create unexpected headaches for the people wearing them. Here's how to avoid some of the more common issues.

Carry an emergency sewing kit with you. This should include:

Do what you can to make your shoes comfortable. Comfy shoes are a natural part of some costumes. When this isn't the case, use cushioned insoles to add a little extra padding under your feet, and break your shoes in thoroughly before the convention.

Remember the practical side to wearing a costume. At some point during the day, you'll need to eat, drink and visit the restroom. If your costume is inflexible -- or inaccessible -- this may be a challenge. You'll also need to be able to get up and down stairs and escalators. Dress trains, dragging hems and fringe can catch in escalators. If your costume has exceptionally long sleeves -- like the dresses from the "Lord of the Rings" films -- you may want to pin them out of your way while eating or taking pictures.

Stay cool. Large, heavy costumes can make a big impression at Dragon Con. However, many of these costumes become very hot, very quickly. Here's how to lower your chance of overheating:

Bring Febreeze or another odor remover if you plan to wear the same costume more than once. Atlanta is hot, and it's virtually guaranteed that you'll sweat in your costume. If you're going to wear a costume for more than one day, either wash it out or spray it down, and let it air out overnight.

Be creative when it comes to bags. Many costumers are tempted to leave their bags behind in order to make their costumes more accurate. This makes it harder to keep track of everything from your wallet to your pocket program. Another option is to find a bag that complements your costume. For example, military bags like Alice packs or olive drab messenger bags might look good with Battlestar Galactica or Stargate uniform costumes. A silver pitcher can be a suitable bag for a Galadriel costume.

Don't overpack. While it may be tempting to bring all of your costumes, you probably won't have time to change into many of them. If you have lots of costumes, a good rule of thumb is to bring no more than one for each day, one for each evening and one for each competition you plan to attend.

To learn more about costumes, Dragon Con and related topics, see the links on the next page.